There’s no denying that we live in the Golden Age of television. The transition toward streaming and its widespread distribution has brought a slew of high-quality series, seeing many big-name actors and directors pivot toward a medium previously deemed second-tier. While the influx of quality TV primarily consists of serialized shows (think, recurring cast, and ongoing storyline), there remains an equally entertaining batch of anthology series.
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Whether it’s storylines contained in a standalone season or a collection of episodes bound by a common throughline, anthology series are unique in their changeable casts and collation of diverse stories. If you’re indifferent to series-long arcs and keener on bite-sized installments, anthology TV is for you.
‘Genius’: 71% Tomatometer
Devoting each of its three seasonsto a different celebrated prodigy, theNational Geographicseries has so far chronicled the stories of Albert Einstein, Pablo Picasso, and Aretha Franklin. Drawing big names across all seasons,Geniushas starredGeoffrey Rush,Antonio Banderas, and Cynthia Erivo, bringing their respective geniuses to life in nonlinear, period-set installments.
Like many anthology series, not every standalone season was a hit, withGenius’ debutEinsteinboasting the highest Rotten Tomatoes score (84%), followed by the most recentAretha(73%) and the lacklusterPicasso(57%). While it averages a decent 71% overall rating, showrunners are undoubtedly seeking to up the ante when the fourth installment,based on Martin Luther King Jr., hits screens next year.
‘American Horror Story’: 77% Tomatometer
One of the longest-running anthology series,FX’sAmerican Horror Storyhas lived up to its name for ten seasons, first debuting its witch-laden installmentCovenin 2013. Since then, theRyan Murphybrainchild has scoured the horror genre for its spookiest stories, covering everything from world-ending catastrophes (Apocalypse)to bloodthirsty slashers (1984).
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As is par for the Ryan Murphy course, the series is home to some of the showrunner’s most notable muses, with actressesSarah PaulsonandEmma Robertsappearing in nine and five seasons, respectively. With an average Rotten Tomatoes score of 77%,AHSwithstands the scattershot tendencies of anthology storytelling, successful enough to warrantFX’s three-season renewal in 2020.
‘Dirty John’: 79% Tomatometer
So crowded is the true crime genre that its stories have seeped into anthological mediums, most notably in the pulpy delight that isDirty John.Based on the podcast of the same name,each season dramatizes a well-known case of romances turning bad, the first of which,The John Meehan Story,starredEric Banaas the titular con man toConnie Britton’sduped Debra Newell.
The show’s second outing,The Betty Broderick Story, starredAmanda Peetas a matricidal ex-wife and usurped its predecessor with a 90% Rotten Tomatoes score. AlthoughDirty Johnadds to a sometimes oversaturated canon of true-crime limited series in the likes ofThe Act,it received a second life when it premiered on Netflix, although there’s no word on a third season just yet.
‘Love, Death + Robots’: 81% Tomatometer
Although science fiction is no stranger to the anthological treatment, Netflix’sLove, Death + Robotsis unique in its animated medium and sourcing of diverse directors and writers for each standalone episode. TheDavid Fincher-produced series focuses mainly on speculative fiction, with episodes detailing dystopian futures and robot revolutions, but it’s also dipped into romance and comedy.
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With three volumes under its belt so far,Love, Death + Robotsis praised for the distinctive animation style of each episode and boasts directorial heavy hitters in the likes ofTim MillerandJennifer Yuh Nelson. In what will be his animated debut, David Fincher is set to direct an episode for the show’s upcoming season.
‘Black Mirror’: 84% Tomatometer
The flagship sci-fi anthology,Black Mirror,made a statement when its first batch of episodes hit screens in 2011. Since then, theCharlie Brookerseries has spawned a feature-length episode (“White Christmas”),an interactive special (Bandersnatch),and found a new home on Netflix, all while setting its speculative sights squarely on the horrors of modern technology.
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Starring the likes ofJon Hamm,Bryce Dallas Howard,andMiley Cyrusacross its five-season run,Black Mirrorhas sometimes been criticized for its hit-or-miss trajectory, with its latest season receiving its lowest Rotten Tomatoes score (67%). Perhaps the waning novelty of the series has resulted in its as-yet unrenewed status, but a spinoff of Season 4 fan-favoriteUSS Callisteris reportedly still in the works.
‘American Crime Story’: 84% Tomatometer
Another anthological brainchild of Ryan Murphy,American Crime Storydramatizes infamous criminal scandalswithin each of its three seasons, the first of which,The People VS. OJ Simpson, retold the notorious titular lawsuit of the ‘90s.American Crime Story’s debut season earned a stack ofEmmys, including one for Sarah Paulson as OJ prosecutor Marcia Clarke.
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The following installment chronicled the murder of fashion designerGianni Versaceand, in a trend true to the entire series, featured performers uncannily similar to their real-life counterparts. Though the stories it revisits are diverse,American Crime Storyfinds its throughline in real-life events that are distinctly scandalous and American, a theme most prominent in its latest Monica Lewinsky-inspiredImpeachment.
‘Weird City’: 84% Tomatometer
Given its track record, sci-fi seems a worthy genre for the anthological treatment, and theYouTubeseriesWeird Cityis no exception. Envisioning a more lighthearted look at the oft-catastrophized future, theJordan Peele-created anthology is more firmly planted in the utopian camp, with each episode detailing an off-kilter story within the fictional “city of Weird.”
From love stories betweenDylan O’BrienandEd O’NeilltoTruman Show-esque meta-commentary,Weird Cityfollows characters on either side of the town’s “line,” which divides the haves and the have-nots. Satirical and with all the zaniness that its titular adjective suggests,Weird Cityis a worthy addition to the sci-fi anthology canon.
‘The Sinner’: 89% Tomatometer
With Detective Harry Ambrose (Bill Pullman) as its only recurring character, each season ofThe Sinnerchronicles a separate criminal investigation, often focussing on the crimes of otherwise-innocent perpetrators. Initiating its “whydunnit” schema,The Sinner’s first season starredJessica Biel’sCora, who inexplicably murdered a stranger in the premiere episode.
Since then, the police procedural has welcomed starsCarrie CoonandMatt Bomer, who appear in seasons two and three, respectively.The Sinner’s Rotten Tomato score has incrementally decreased with its most recent installments; the fourth and final of which aired last year.
‘Easy’:90% Tomatometer
Devoting each of its episodes to the loves lives of disparate Chicagoans,Easyaccounts for the romance genre’s take on anthological storytelling. Across its three-season run,Easyexplored romantic themes from a sexless middle-aged couple to a ménage à trois- seeking pair inOrlando BloomandMalin Akerman.
Though each episode is a standalone story of modern romance, a few characters make recurring appearances across the show’s seasons, some even tangentially related to another character’s story.Aubrey Plaza,Dave Franco,andEmily Ratajkowskialso star in theJoe Swanbergseries.
‘Fargo’: 93% Tomatometer
The adjectives definingNoah Hawley’santhology seriesFargoare manifold,which is perhaps the source of the period-set, black comedy crime series’ success. While each season takes place in the same fictional universe and is based within the Midwest, Fargo’s installments vary in period and character.
Based on the 1996Coen Brothersfilm of the same name,Fargois mainly concerned with murder investigations, some of which have overlapped across the show’s five seasons. Perhaps boasting the starriest changing cast of any anthology series,Fargohas featured the likes ofBilly Bob Thorntonin its debut season,Kristen DunstandTed Dansonin its second, andChris Rockin its most recent fourth outing. In February of this year, the show was renewed for a fifth season.
